India is witnessing escalation in number of students moving foreign countries for studies, Counselors call it migration due to urban unemployment in country

Abroad studies have become a trend in India. No longer is limited among wealthy families, people belonging to middle class and poor background are also following this shift. According to the administration statistics, three million students moved foreign for pursuing higher studies between 2017 to 2022. 4.54 lakh students travelled foreign in 2017 which escalated in 2018 and 2019 with 5.17 lakh to 5.86 lakh respectively. Due to pandemic, the numbers were affected and reached 2.59 lakh. Last year, 7.50 lakh students got their study visas. The constant increase in number is making raising multiple questions.

According to the experts and career counselors, post-graduation courses were the most preferred which later changed to under graduation courses, by students. But why Indian students in large numbers are moving to foreign for studies every year? Counselor Abhishek has given a detailed insight of this journey. ‘I am in this field for more than 10 years now. We talk to students briefly about their story, preferences and financial background. Then recommend, the best place keeping in mind the suitability. One thing we have noticed is escalation in numbers. Every year, we are witnessing increase in graph which is pushing us to research deeply about countries, education system and expense’, he said. He added that America is mainly chosen by families for the studies, followed by Australia and Britain, as per 2022 data. Apart from this, Canada, Germany and UAE and Saudi Arabia have emerged as new favorites.

Abhishek told EAT news that an individual in India spend maximum 80 lakhs Rupees (97,793 USD) for a four year course in abroad. It includes all basic expense such as food, stay travelling and tuition fees. And the rest depends on course. But if we consider an Indian middle class family, this is a heavy amount for them to pay for education. Abhishek believes, Indians are way smarter then we perceive them as. He said, ‘Yes, the amount is not easy to pay, but education loans and scholarships have made it easier for students with not so strong financial background, to dream. There are secure options for part time jobs that allow anybody to work alongside college hours to pay the loan back. At first, people do fear to apply for loans but after looking around at same instances, they get motivated. Because every 1 family out of 5 in India has sent their at least one member abroad, either for studies or work.’

Is Indian education is getting a tough competition or there are other reasons for moving? While recalling personal stories of the students he connected to, Abhishek shared, education system has nothing to do with this. ‘I don’t think there is a competition as all the countries have their own particular system. But after having an experience of talking with so many students and their preferences, it is not wrong to say that education is only a way to enter. Most of them go to settle. Because once the study finish, they start looking for jobs and permanent residence, which is not wrong. Instead of, actually people are migrating to other countries on the name of education’, he said.

Urban unemployment is climbing in India every month. From 8.51 percent to 9.81 percent, it is on the constant worse situation. However, it fell marginally to 7.34 percent from 7.47 percent, a month ago, according to data from research firm Centre for Monitoring India economy. Shruti is travelling to Germany in August for her graduation in engineering course. She blamed unemployment and low quality education in Indian private colleges that made her easy to decide. ‘I never actually imagined travelling abroad for studies. But my parents suggested me and I sensed a point. In India, medical and engineering are the common courses with not many government options. So eventually people who do not get selected, goes to private ones by paying heavy amount and with no good quality of education. I know many people who are sitting jobless after complete their masters in India. There are examples of underpaid individuals, too. It is difficult to plan a future here, with satisfied remuneration’, she said.

Employment is the major reason for students coming from poor background. Abhishek said these students have weak finance but outstanding mind that leads them to grab good scholarships. ‘Since they don’t have enough money to even pay half or three fourth of tuition fees, we apply full scholarship on behalf of them and surprisingly, most of them get it. They are usually high scorers as compare to others. And as they have seen their families living under such terrible conditions, their ultimate goal becomes to have a stable life in foreign which can help their families living in India, too’, he shared. As foreign studies intake month is coming closer, counselors are assuming higher number of students travelling overseas, than last year.